The Israeli military has accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire agreement after discovering that one of the bodies returned by the group did not belong to any known hostage held in Gaza.
On Friday, Hamas released the remains of four individuals who were believed to be hostages abducted during the October 7 attack. Two of the bodies were identified as infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel. However, the third body, expected to be that of their mother, Shiri, did not match any hostage and remains unidentified, according to Israeli military statements.
“This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is obliged under the agreement to return four deceased hostages,” the military said, demanding the return of Shiri and all other hostages.
The family of Oded Lifshitz confirmed that his body had been formally identified among those returned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to take action against Hamas following the incident. Earlier, Palestinian militants publicly handed over four black coffins while a crowd of Palestinians and armed Hamas members watched—a display condemned by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The remains were handed over under a ceasefire agreement brokered last month with the support of the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.
Hamas has yet to respond to the accusations.
As tensions rise, the misidentification of the released body adds a new layer of complexity to the already delicate situation, casting doubts on the ceasefire’s stability and the path forward for both sides.
